Auburn University
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

http://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/policies_workplace.php
http://auburn.edu/administration/aaeeo/H&D.php
As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, the University does not discriminate against or permit harassment of employees on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or genetic information. The Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity has overall responsibility for the management of the University's equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies. The University also has the policy of providing a drug-free workplace environment. It is important that all University employees familiarize themselves with Auburn's complete official policies on these issues, which can be found at:

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accommodations Policy
https://sites.auburn.edu/admin/universitypolicies/Policies/ADAAccommodationsPolicy.pdf

Affirmative Action Policy on the Employment of Individuals with Disabilities
https://sites.auburn.edu/admin/universitypolicies/Policies/
AffirmativeActionPolicyontheEmploymentofIndividualswithDisabilities.pdf

Affirmative Action Policy on Employment of Veterans
https://sites.auburn.edu/admin/universitypolicies/Policies/
AffirmativeActionPolicyontheEmploymentofVeterans.pdf

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
https://sites.auburn.edu/admin/universitypolicies/Policies/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPolicy.pdf

Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment
https://sites.auburn.edu/admin/universitypolicies/Policies/PolicyAgainstDiscriminationandHarassment.pdf

The Bias Education and Response Team (BERT) consists of a cross-disciplinary group of staff and faculty who work together to ensure that students, faculty and staff have a means to report bias incidents, share information about incidents reported to the BERT, and advocate for prevention and awareness programs. BERT members also connect those impacted by bias-related incidents with immediate and ongoing support resources.
EXAMPLES FROM PAST 3 YEARS

INCIDENT 1
July 2020
BERT received a report about a snapchat with a person where the comment, “Trump 2022, if the south would have won we’d have it made" was written across the screen. The BERT team investigated and learned the person was not an Auburn University student. No further action was taken.

INCIDENT 2
November 2019
BERT received a report that there were posters stating, “It’s ok to be white” taped to facilities. The posters were removed as they were in violation of the Campus Distribution Policy.

INCIDENT 3
November 2019
BERT received a report that there was a noose made from an electrical cord hanging in a residence hall lobby. There reporter believed the action was racially motivated. After reviewing video footage to identify the student, a member of University Housing spoke to the student. The student shared they were struggling with mental health issues and the symbolism was regarding suicidal ideation, it was not meant as a threat to other racial groups.

Recruitment and Retention of African American Students:

Objectives:
• Increase Black student enrollment
• Increase aid allocated to Black students
• Improve the racial climate
• Improve retention and graduation rates of Black students

To increase Black student enrollment
• Pilot a flexible admissions model—deployed a test flexible model based on a holistic review.
• Deployed non-cognitive based short essay prompts. All applicants reflect and respond to a situation where they experienced or witnessed unfairness. Applicants have an opportunity to reflect on an experience, demonstrate understanding, learning and growth.
• Alabama's valedictorian and salutation are guaranteed admission to the university and the Honors College. The top two students will also receive priority consideration for scholarships.
• Launched the Common Application To increase aid allocated to Black students
• Shifted at least 10% of scholarship funds towards need/non-merit aid and reduced the cost of attendance for students with unmet-need. Award more scholarships to transfer students.
• Shifted oversight of PLUS Scholarship to Enrollment Management to ensure strategic deployment of funds. Increase annual awards. New awards will range from $5,000-$8,000. Shift the oversight of President’s Graduate opportunities Program (PGOP) funds to the Graduate School.
To improve the racial climate
• Document and celebrate the history of diversity at Auburn. Student Center renaming and updated campus tour script.

Develop an “Inclusive Language Guide” and toolkit. Hometown news, student
showcase–clear messaging on Affordability, Ability and Fit.

To improve retention and graduation rates of Black students
• Held follow-up meetings with provost and Sr. VP for Academic Affairs and Sr. VP for Student Affairs to discuss the next steps.

To increase Black student enrollment
• Establish full benchmarks with SEC, SREB and top-performing institutions for Black students
• Leverage partnerships with GearUp Alabama and Black Belt Community Foundation
• Increase enrollment of students participating in DiCE
• Annually track and report on funds allocated towards diversity scholarships

To increase aid allocated to Black students
• Identify new funds to increase need-based aid
• Ensure students with the greatest need can experience the FULL Auburn experience
• Increase the number of diversity scholarships

To improve the racial climate
• Conduct a climate survey in spring 2021
• Continue to document and celebrate the history of diversity at Auburn
• Continue to develop an “Inclusive Language Guide” and toolkit
• Improve retention and graduation rates of Black students
• Select champions responsible for equitable student success and a process for continuous improvement
• Survey non-returning students

Future Planning Required:
To increase Black student enrollment
• Evaluate the test-optional model
• Reimagine the centralized and decentralized recruitment mode

Increase aid allocated to Black students
• Revisit the fundraising campaign and develop a plan to focus on affordability and access

To improve the racial climate
• Develop an African American studies and Women's and Gender Studies major,
potentially name it “John Lewis Department of Civil Rights, Equity and Inclusion.”

To improve retention and graduation rates of Black students
Change metrics for student organization incentives. Evaluate funding for student organizations, block seating, etc. Reward organizations based on diversity and inclusion.

The Student Excellence Program (SEP) foster an inclusive academic environment for prospective and current students at Auburn University. SEP serves as a resource for all students with the following goals and activities:
Implementing best practices for recruiting and retaining underrepresented students from diverse backgrounds
Providing underrepresented students with information about financial aid, scholarships and fellowships, careers, tutoring, mentoring, and other success strategy skills
Bridging the gap between international and domestic students
Increasing access to Auburn University for prospective and current students while enhancing support for academic success to members of the community
Informing underrepresented students about resources to help them succeed and excel at Auburn University

Tiger Retreat
The Office of Inclusion and Diversity’s (OID) Tiger Retreat is a two-day experience designed to introduce incoming multicultural, diverse, and first-generation college students to the academic, cultural and social community at Auburn University. Participants will have an opportunity to learn more about navigating through college while also engaging directly with student leaders from the Auburn American Indian Association, African Student Organization, Black Student Union, Latino Student Association, Student Government Association, and many more!

Parents and family members will also receive vital information about assisting with the transition to college. By the end of the Tiger Retreat experience, everyone will have a greater sense of community at Auburn University, and will find a place to call home at OID.

War Eagle Scholars Day
War Eagle Scholars Day is one-day program designed to enhance the diversity of the undergraduate community at Auburn. Academically talented high school seniors who identify as Black, American Indian, Latin, Asian American, low income or rural students, first generation or from other historically underrepresented populations are invited to attend the program.

War Eagle Scholars Day offers students and their parents an opportunity to gain valuable first-hand knowledge from University officials and student leaders about academic programs, admissions requirements, scholarship opportunities, and financial aid. This program is invitation-only. If you have not been invited and feel you meet our criteria, please contact us at (334)844-4184.

The Auburn University College Preparation Summer Academy (AUCPSA) In an effort to increase diversity among the undergraduate student population, Auburn University has created the College Preparation Summer Academy (AUCPSA) Program. AUCPSA is a two-week high school academy for those entering the 12th grade. Camp activities focus around academic course work, campus life experience, and other college readiness activities. The goal of the program is for participants to have a clear road-map for admission and successfully study at Auburn University.



Recruitment and retention of African American Staff:
Institutional Goal: To increase the number of full-time staff who identify as Black/African American Recruitment
• Establish a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategic communication plan
a. Add diversity statements to university websites and include proactive and
specific language in position advertisements
• Deploy inclusive hiring practices and develop an inclusive hiring toolkit
a. Human Resources will increase search committee DEI training; rubrics; search documentation.

• Expand and fully support university’s Onboarding Center
a. Connect new Black faculty and staff with Auburn Black Caucus (affinity groups)and include culturally specific community and university resources.
• Enhance supervisor training
a. Supervisor Pathways programs is underway and will be reviewed to ensure DEI training is included.
• Implement mandatory exit surveys
a. Human Resources is on board to implement this effort and will start working on program development.

Recruitment and Retention of African American and Underrepresented Minority (URM) Faculty
Institutional Goal: To increase the number of full-time faculty who identify as Black/African American or an underrepresented minority
All Deans reviewed, provided feedback and are committed to implementing appropriate strategies and to increasing current efforts in their specific units to advance the recruitment and retention of African American/URM faculty.
Examples of Current Initiatives/Actions in Auburn’s Colleges and Schools:
• Through the KPMG/PhD Project, the Harbert College of Business continues to support and increase URM (Black and Hispanic) doctoral students to be future faculty.
• Through the AU Chapter of Minorities in Agriculture and Natural Resources Related Sciences (MANNRS), the College of Agriculture and the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences engage and support pipelines for diverse faculty.
• Through a memorandum of understanding between the colleges of veterinary medicine at Auburn and Tuskegee University, the Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine provides training programs for Tuskegee College of Veterinary Medicine graduates in veterinary radiology to prepare future faculty. Similar training programs in other veterinary clinical specialties and being developed.
• Various departments are using SREB and other discipline specific networks to recruit diverse graduate students and to identify recently hooded PhDs with diverse backgrounds for post-doctoral and assistant professor positions at Auburn (Ginn College of Engineering, College of Sciences and Mathematics and College of Liberal Arts).
• Due to the widespread availability and use of remote technologies, colleges and schools have immediately increased the number of African American faculty in the classroom through adjunct teaching, collaborative teaching and research and guest lectures, with the goal of building a pool for full-time hiring (School of Pharmacy and College of Architecture, Design and Construction)

Examples of Current Hiring Practices in Auburn’s Colleges and Schools:
• Specific departments are developing faculty position descriptions that clearly embed the values of diversity, equity and inclusion (College of Sciences and Mathematics and College of Liberal Arts).
• All members of a faculty search committee receive robust and intentional training relative to implicit and/or unconscious bias (all Auburn colleges and schools).
Example of Current Mentoring Practices in Auburn’s Colleges and Schools:
• Robust mentoring of African American graduate students and junior level faculty (Graduate School and College of Education)

Provost Leadership Undergraduate Scholarship (PLUS) Retention Program –
In an effort to increase diversity among the undergraduate student population at Auburn University, the Provost has created, with the help of generous financial support from corporate partners, the Provost Leadership Undergraduate Scholarship (PLUS) Program. The PLUS program assists participants financially by providing them a $2,000 scholarship per academic year renewable up to three years, and supports them academically and socially to ensure that they succeed at Auburn University. This program has been developed to complement goals of the Auburn University Strategic Diversity Plan.
The purpose of the PLUS Retention Program is to provide academic and social support to assist PLUS program participants as they pursue their undergraduate studies at Auburn University. The program will offer a learning community that provides peer mentoring, leadership opportunities and training, time management and study skills, tutoring and counseling services, and an opportunity to enroll together in a series of classes throughout the freshman and sophomore years. The PLUS Retention Program works closely with campus, administrative offices, academic units, student
organizations, and other retention programs to ensure that PLUS program participants succeed at Auburn University. The Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs is responsible for coordinating the program.https://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/odma/pdf/PLUSprog2009.pdf

Alabama Alliance for Students with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (AASD-STEM) – AASD-STEM is a collaborative effort involving Auburn University, Tuskegee University, Alabama State University, and Auburn University at Montgomery, Southern Union State Community College, the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, and six school districts in East-Central Alabama: Lee, Chambers, Elmore, Montgomery, Macon, and Tallapoosa County school systems. The Alliance has the following four major goals:
Goal 1: Increase the Quality of Students with Disabilities Completing Associate and Baccalaureate Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Disciplines;
Goal 2: Increase the Number of Students with Disabilities Completing Associate and Baccalaureate Degrees in STEM Disciplines and entering STEM graduate degrees or STEM workforce;
Goal 3: Increase the Number of Students with Disabilities Completing Graduate Degrees in STEM Disciplines; and
Goal 4: Increase the number of high school students with disabilities going to college.
This unique Alliance, which includes two Historically Black Universities, Tuskegee University and Alabama State University, builds upon established STEM bridge programs to include female and minority students with disabilities. The Alabama Alliance has an internal evaluation team and an external evaluator who will lead the independent formative and summative project evaluations.

Women's Initiatives:
Women’s Initiatives represents the concerns of and supports all Auburn University women including faculty, staff, students and administrative and professional personnel. Women’s Initiatives provides programming and strategically collaborates and guides efforts to facilitate the recruitment, hiring (for employees), retention, and professional development of women by addressing issues that affect personal well-being and professional needs of women across campus. The primary focus of these efforts involves attending to Campus Climate issues for women through programming, research, advocacy, outreach, consultation, assessment, scholarship, and recommendations about policies and procedures to University officials. To best attend to Campus Climate issues for women, Women’s Initiatives is eager to discuss challenges and successes experienced by women across campus and those invested in supporting Auburn women.

Some of the programs house within Women’s Initiatives include the Women’s Center, the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Institute, and the Pathways to Full Professor and Beyond program. Each year the Women’s Center hosts the Women’s Leadership Conference and collaborates with units across campus to promote health and wellness of women. The WISE Institute recognizes the unique needs experienced by women when they train, learn, and work in fields where women are underrepresented. WISE works to support these women as well as women scholars across campus and WISE collaborates in programming designed to increase the representation of women and girls in science, math, and engineering. These programs are under the direction of the Assistant Provost for Women’s Initiatives within the Office Inclusion and Diversity. Women’s Initiatives also collaborates with numerous other programs and offices that support women on Auburn’s campus and seeks to supplement the important work done across the University.
College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) Summer Bridge – The COSAM Summer Bridge Program is an intensive four-week residential program for talented and highly motivated minority students from populations traditionally underrepresented in the sciences and mathematics who want to get a head start in their college careers. This program, which takes place on the main campus of Auburn University, emphasizes academic preparedness, development and enhancement of study and time management skills, establishment of academic and social support, and career awareness. Chemistry and Mathematics faculty, graduate teaching assistants, counselors, and academic advisors staff the program. http://diversity.auburn.edu/womens-initiatives/

The Engineering Academic Excellence Program’s (AEP):
This is an intensive four-week program for incoming under-represented Auburn University freshmen majoring in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering to prepare them for freshmen level pre-engineering courses. The program will be staffed by Auburn University faculty, graduate teaching assistants, counselors and AEP administrators.
The aim of the program is to: Increase students math, science and programming skills; Expose students to the 11 engineering majors and Auburn campus resources and allow them to do a personal exploration of their major; Develop/improve students’ critical thinking, analytical, problem-solving, time management and study skills; Introduce the students to a network of faculty, staff, administrators and fellow underrepresented engineering students. http://www.eng.auburn.edu/admin/aep/future-students/summer-enrichment-camp.html

G-RISE
Auburn University has been awarded a prestigious $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, to broaden participation in the sciences for traditionally underrepresented students and diversify the pool of scientists earning doctoral degrees in the biomedical sciences. The five-year training award—a Graduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement, or G-RISE, grant—is administered by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, a component of the NIH. Auburn’s program will be titled G-RISE at Auburn University and will begin with the selection of four scholars for the fall 2021 semester. The G-RISE program is designed to develop a diverse pool of scientists earning a doctorate who have the skills to successfully transition into careers in the biomedical research workforce. Programmatic activities are focused on recruiting, admitting and supporting highly qualified students yearly from underrepresented groups through multiple mechanisms, with common threads of inclusive excellence and mentoring initiatives. Given the history of racial inequities and the demographic composition of the region, G‐RISE at Auburn will focus on students from first-generation, low-income, African American, Latino/a and American Indian backgrounds in recruiting efforts, but will welcome all applicants from traditionally underrepresented communities.
http://ocm.auburn.edu/newsroom/news_articles/2021/05/181402-g-rise-nih-grant-awarded.php

President’s Graduate Opportunity Program (PGOP)
The Presidential Graduate Opportunity Program (PGOP) and related efforts are part of a focused initiative to enhance the diversity, inclusion, and retention of Auburn University’s graduate student population.
The fellowships are to be offered annually to a select number of highly qualified students (current Auburn students or new students) that intend to pursue or who are currently pursuing doctoral degrees in established and emerging areas of excellence.
Each year, a minimum of 6 new fellowships will be available for awards to begin in Fall semester of each academic year. Each award will consist of a $10,000 Presidential Fellowship, along with a minimum $5,000 Dean’s Fellowship, and a minimum $15,000 graduate research assistantship, along with tuition support*. Each award will be renewable annually for up to three consecutive years. Additional financial support may be provided in subsequent years by the fellow’s department and college/school.

Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Program – The Bridge to the Doctorate Program is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and provides financial support to eligible students for two years of graduate study in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics disciplines. The goal of the program is to increase the production of new minority PhDs and their entrance into productive faculty or research careers. BD Fellows receive a $30,000 annual stipend, cost-of-education allowance for tuition and fees, mentoring programs, conference and research travel opportunities, seminars and workshops, graduate and professional student associations, and academic enrichment experiences.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/odma/bdf_fellows.html

Campus map showing gender neutral bathrooms
https://cws.auburn.edu/map

Responsible party for discrimination response: Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity